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Deciding on a DJ

No wedding reception, prom, or other big event is complete without a DJ. Good music, and an enthusiastic person playing it, will ensure that everyone at your party is having a good time and dancing. Make sure your event is one that people will enjoy and remember by hiring a great DJ.

There is no shortage of DJs to book for your event; however, you don’t want to put just anyone in charge of entertaining your guests. It is important to book a DJ that has played at many events similar to yours, uses quality equipment, and is a responsible businessperson. Here are a few guidelines for selecting your entertainer.

Choose a DJ and a reliable businessperson.
Two of the most important qualities in a DJ are organization and reliability. All DJs have a massive selection of music so don’t choose based on song lists. Choose someone who will be at your event on time, easy to get in contact with, and timely in returning your phone calls. Your contract should cover all important details required for your event including equipment to be used, a schedule, and appropriate attire if required. Include a backup plan for equipment failure and for extreme circumstances that would prevent the DJ from working your event.

Let your DJ do his job.
It is important to sit down with your DJ prior to your event and select songs that must be played at the event, and give guidelines for the type of music you want played. Do not give your DJ a play list that they must adhere to because this does not let them play music according to the desires of your guests. An experienced DJ will be able to feel the pulse of your crowd and adjust their selections accordingly. That being said, if there are certain songs or types of music that you do not want played advise your DJ. It is also important to set rules about requests from your guests. Some DJs have forms that guests fill out and drop at their booth, others prefer guests to come up and speak to them in person. Either way, let your DJ know what type of policy you would be most comfortable with and how much time you would like your DJ to spend playing guest requests.

Ask the important questions.
Few things are worse than being on a dance floor and listening to poor quality music. Ask your DJ about what type of equipment they use and make sure that a backup plan is in place. Burned CDs and MP3 files are not acceptable. When put on a large speaker system deficiencies in quality are very evident. Make sure that your DJ is using original CDs or uncompressed music files. A duel-CD player is also required to prevent down time between songs. Pro-grade speakers should also be used to ensure good sound quality.

Although they are rare, technical difficulties do occur so make sure that your DJ has a backup plan. Ask about backup equipment; make sure it is also good quality. The importance of getting the back up plan in writing cannot be stressed. Make sure to include a detailed plan for equipment failure. Equipment failure is also one of the problems with DJs that use laptops to control their music. If there is a problem with the computer, then their music library is lost, as is your evening.

These are the important details will make sure your party runs smoothly, but to ensure that everyone is having a good time you should try and find a DJ with a good personality that you think your guests will enjoy. Advise your DJ on just how much involvement you want him to have, and let him know that the bottom line is you want your guests on the dance floor!